GOQii

Blog

  • HOME
  • HEALTHY LIVING
  • FITNESS
  • HEALTHY RECIPES
  • USER STORIES
  • KARMA
  • BUY GOQii

September 30, 2019 By Dr. Viral Thakkar Leave a Comment

Your Heart and You 2: Habits for a Healthy Heart

heart healthAakash wondered why every Hollywood and Bollywood movie stressed on the “heart”. Some dialogues bothered him:

“My heart aches at the way you have treated your friends.”

“Don’t you feel anything? Are you heartless?”

What Affects Heart Health?

It is interesting to note that a heart attack is usually the result of an emotional outburst or a very emotionally charged situation. While, many of us have similar experiences, some are potent to handle such sudden shocks which the heart receives. This depends on the emotional and mental health of a person, dietary habits, sleep quality, the capability of handling stress, faulty habits, etc.

The heart apart from pumping blood and ensuring every cell receives blood and oxygen, governs largely the emotional and physical wellbeing of a person (it also overlaps Anahat or Hridaya chakra in Indian Vedic understanding). So, a healthy heart depends largely on the emotional and mental well-being of a person as well as nutrition.

It is now a known fact that feelings of stress, anxiety, etc. adversely impact the overall health of a person, especially the heart. As stress increases, the cortisol levels (stress hormone) impacts all the hormones and organs, all the basic physiology including cardiovascular system.

These emotions create a chain reaction in the body — stress hormone levels increase, blood vessels constrict, blood pressure rises, and the immune system is weakened. If we consistently experience these emotions, it can put a strain on the heart and other organs, and eventually lead to serious health problems.

In my previous blog I spoke about the signs of heart disease to watch out for. Here, let us look at healthy habits for a healthy heart!

Do the Following to Ensure a Healthy Heart

  1. Be happy: If you cannot feel positive and good, simply recall a time when you felt sincere appreciation and try to recreate that feeling. Look at photographs of happier times, keep a diary where you record your positive events and feelings from your life.
  2. Exercise: Get regular with yoga, especially pranayama and exercise. Exercising helps heart muscles become more efficient at pumping blood throughout the body. It allows body’s tissue (including the heart) do a better job of pulling oxygen from the blood. This allows your heart to work effectively under stress. It also helps the body make more branches and connections between these blood vessels (collaterals), so there are other routes for the blood to travel if the usual path is blocked by narrow arteries or fatty deposits. Instead of a 45 minutes workout, it is best that the body is moving every half an hour! A small 2 mins walk every half an hour is also helpful as along with cardiovascular system it also keeps our lymphatic active. However, if you have a heart condition, please take the advice of your doctor before taking strenuous exercises or pranayama.
  3. Do what you like doing and stop what you don’t! It will help you keep your stress levels in check and be happy!
  4. Take care of what you eat: Have a good portion of breakfast, followed by small meals, lunch and dinner 2-4 hours before you sleep. Follow the advice of your nutritionist/doctor, if something special has been designed for you!
  5.   Vegetarian food is easily digested by the body. It will also help you cut back on higher calorie foods such as meat, cheese and snack foods. Whole grains play a role in regulating blood pressure and heart health. Add flaxseeds to your diet as they are rich in fiber and omega-3 fatty acids.
  6.   Limit unhealthy choices: Reduce or stop refined oils, refined sugar and aerated drinks.
  7.   Choose low-fat protein sources like flaxseed, walnuts, soybeans and canola oil. Legumes, beans, peas and lentils are good sources of protein and contain less fat and no cholesterol, making them good substitutes for meat.
  8.   Reduce the sodium in your food: You can replace your normal salt with rock salt or pink salt.
  9.   Quality is better than quantity: If your body feels fresh and charged after 4-5 hours of sleep, it implies quality sleep. But tiredness even after 6-8 hours of sleep is worrisome. Usually deep breathing before sleep, dinner 4 hours prior to sleep helps one sleep better.

Heart is the biggest miracle which works every moment to keep you alive! Cherish it by living healthy. In my next blog, I will share yoga asanas you can perform for a healthy heart.

#BeTheForce

September 29, 2019 By Dr. Viral Thakkar Leave a Comment

Your Heart and You: Signs of Heart Disease to Watch Out For

heart diseaseMishita, 55 years, was feeling low and depressed for quite a few months. Since the past 2 days, she began feeling slight restlessness, palpitations, and a suffocating feeling followed by mild chest pain radiating to her left shoulder. Since she was alone, she called her daughter to express these symptoms. Her daughter immediately called their neighbour. As her neighbour had basic knowledge about heart symptoms and heart disease, she was saved from a major heart attack but early signs of arteriosclerosis were detected. She started following lifestyle changes and now is happy, healthy and almost off medicine!

How & When Does Heart Disease Develop?

Heart disease mostly develops over a period of time due to an unhealthy lifestyle. One may have early signs or symptoms long before a serious heart problem. In my practice, I have seen that the body, including the heart, will give several signs, before it deteriorates. It’s up to you how much you listen to your body.

Heart disease describes a range of conditions that affect the heart. It could be a disease related to blood vessels such as coronary artery disease, especially arteriosclerosis (lumen of arteries supplying blood to the heart is reduced in size and finally get occluded, leading to myocardial infarction) or arrhythmias (irregular rhythm of heartbeats which is due to an issue in the current flow of heart circuit) or one could be born with a heart disease as well – congenital heart defects, among others. There are 2 dimensions which affect heart, physiological constitution and emotional constitution of an individual.

Psychoneuroimmunology has proven that a person who is sad, depressed, unhealthy and unhappy will be at risk of a heart attack, or shall I say, a number of diseases. Emotional, mental and physical wellbeing are the keys to lead a good life.

Signs To Watch Out For

I will be discussing some common symptoms of a heart attack since the number of people suffering from the same is increasing. One should immediately take medical advice if you have any of the following symptoms, at any age:

  • Chest Pain: Discomfort or pain in the chest area which may include left, center or sometimes even the right side which may also radiate towards the left shoulder, left upper back, jaw or sometimes even chin area. There are many causes of chest pain that have nothing to do with the heart but it is still the most common symptom of poor blood flow to the heart cells due to any cardiac ailment which leads to a heart attack ( Myocardial infarction).
  • At times it is like a crushing pain, while others feel only mild discomfort.
  • It might feel heavy or like someone was squeezing the heart. One may also feel a sharp, burning sensation in the chest or epigastric area
  • At times, the pain under the breastbone (sternum), or on the neck, arms, stomach, jaw, or upper back may be the only symptom, which one should not ignore.
  • Chest pain from angina often occurs during or post-activity or sudden emotional experience and goes away with rest or a medicine called nitroglycerin.
  • Bad indigestion can also cause chest pain but that does not amount to heart trouble! However, any symptoms you experience is the body’s language of communication, so ignore none.

Certain other features could be extreme anxiety, fainting or loss of consciousness, lightheadedness or dizziness, nausea or vomiting, palpitations (feeling like the heart is beating too fast or irregularly), shortness of breath, profuse sweating, which may be very heavy.

In case of other comorbidities like diabetes, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, etc. one might experience fatigue, shortness of breath, general weakness, or change in skin colour.

Symptoms Which Need Cardiac Attention

  1. Shortness of Breath: When the heart can’t pump blood as well as it should, blood backs up in the veins that go from the lungs to the heart. Fluid leaks into the lungs and causes shortness of breath. This is a symptom of heart failure. One may notice shortness of breath during activity, while resting or when lying flat on the back – it might wake you up from sleep.
  2. Continuous coughing or wheezing could be a sign that the fluid is building up in the lungs. One may also cough up mucus that is pink or bloody.
  3. Swelling in the Legs, Ankles, or Feet: because the blood flow slows and backs up in the veins in the legs. This causes fluid to build up in the tissues. One may also experience swelling in the stomach or notice some weight gain. This is mostly seen in congestive cardiac failure.
  4. Narrowed Blood Vessels could mean a higher risk of a heart attack & can occur when cholesterol and other fatty material (plaque) builds upon the walls of the arteries. It is also the cause of hypertension.
  5. Fatigue: Tiredness can have many causes. It could be a sign of heart trouble when one feels so tired that regular activities are not conducted or when the feeling is sudden and leads to severe weakness
  6. Palpitations: If the heart can’t pump blood normally, it may beat faster to try to keep up. It might feel that the heart is racing or throbbing. A fast or uneven heartbeat can also be a sign of arrhythmia. This is a problem with your heart rate or rhythm.

The heart is an organ which does not rest until you rest in peace. You need to maintain a healthy lifestyle to maintain a healthy heart. Diet, sleep, stress levels, emotional state, exercise or physical activity are the parameters which monitor your heart health. You need to monitor these parameters consciously. If you experience any of the above symptoms, seek medical assistance.

Don’t let the rhythm of your heart be affected. As in most cases of the heart, prevention is the only cure!

Watch out for Part 2 of this article only on GOQii.

#BeTheForce

September 29, 2018 By GOQii Editor Leave a Comment

WHOLEHEARTEDLY HEART HEALTHY

shutterstock_316374032

Death rates due to heart diseases continue to rise in India, claiming 1.7 million lives in 2016, as per the Global Burden of Disease report released exactly a year ago in September 2017. Recently, a national daily in India published a report stating that deaths in India due to heart disease have risen by 36% over the past 26 years. GOQii India fit report released early this year finds that there has been a rise in the number of lifestyle diseases among Indians. Of these, an increased number of people have high cholesterol with data showing an increase from 9.4% in 2016 to 10.1% in 2017.

Given the above statistics, Heart health is something that needs immediate attention. Today is World Heart Day and let us all be responsible and consciously make simple changes to our life to improve our heart health. In this blog, we have jotted down few simple lifestyle tweaks that you can implement in your life if you already have not done so.

  1. Love your couch a little lesser:

After a hectic workday at your desk, we love to get cosy on the couch, even though it isn’t the best thing to do. Did you know that people working desk jobs are more prone to contracting a heart disease than the others? You might begin to see the connection here. Yes, being physically active has a big impact on achieving a healthy heart. Start slow, even a short walk after every meal will help you in many ways. Along with improved blood circulation, factors like obesity and blood pressure can also be controlled by giving your body the exertion it craves.

    2. Toss the butt for good:

Kicking the butt is always tougher than picking up smoking. Smokers who try to quit, regress many times before leaving it completely and this is totally natural. But the determination to come back on a healthy track is what really matters. If you think you can’t do it alone, try counselling or other methods like nicotine patches, nicotine gum etc.  Forget heart health, if you want to be healthy in general, the time has come to say goodbye to your cigarettes.

    3. Stop stressing out:

We totally understand why you think it is impossible, considering our busy schedules and the endless deadlines which are caught in a loop. The problem is that high amounts of stress cause strain on the heart due to the release of adrenaline, making the heart beat faster and also narrowing your arteries. It also harms your heart indirectly by contributing to factors like blood pressure, cholesterol and obesity. To keep your stress levels in check, choose a program such as yoga, meditation etc. that’s convenient and suitable for you and stop stress from overpowering you.

      4. Keep the weight under control:

Overweight and underweight conditions like obesity or anorexia attract heart diseases easily. So calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI) to check for the category you fall in and if you do not fall under the normal category, you need to gain or reduce some weight. More than being healthy, a change like this will boost your self-confidence and help you feel more comfortable in your own skin.

      5. Eat Healthy To Stay Healthy:

This is one of the most important steps towards achieving a healthy heart. At the end of the day, it is what we eat that constitutes the state of our body. Most importantly, stay clear of saturated fats and oil as this increases the level of bad cholesterol in the blood, which is extremely bad for your heart. Foods like red meat and processed food with high sugar and corn syrup content are all to be frowned upon, to achieve a healthy heart. Eat a lot of fruits, vegetables and lean protein foods like skinless chicken and fish (not fried). This not only helps in maintaining a healthy heart but also increases your quality of life.

  1. Alcohol Consumption:

In the book “The Heart Truth” by Dr Aashish Contractor, it is stated that alcohol may be beneficial in raising good cholesterol (HDL) as well as other anti-oxidant properties when consumed moderately. If you are someone who hasn’t consumed alcohol before, please don’t start now thinking it’s good for your heart! But if you are someone who enjoys a drink or two, then do so in moderation. Dr Aashish personally defines moderate as one or two drinks, three days per week and the optimum amount of liquor to be 45ml a drink. It is important to remember that excessive consumption can cause harm and damage your heart and other organs. So drink responsibly folks!

  1. Stay positive, Stay Motivated:

Pessimism lurks in each and every one of us. Sometimes, we decide to give up not realising how close we have come to our goals. When maintaining a healthy heart or being healthy in general, it is very important to know what you want and be clear about it. Self-doubting is natural but steering through that phase keeping a positive mind towards it is difficult. Don’t be another brick in the wall, be the one to achieve and prove it is possible. GOQii wishes the best for all of you on this World Heart Day!

 

 

November 29, 2017 By Richa Athavale 1 Comment

Know your blood/ serum Creatinine

creatinine-private-blood-tests-in-london

When it comes to blood tests, most are aware of blood sugar, cholesterol or haemoglobin levels. In the current times, we also know about Vitamin B12, D, and Calcium etc. But, have you ever come across “blood/serum creatinine levels”?

Recently, I came across somebody I know well with high levels of high blood/ serum creatinine levels. And, observed there is a lot of confusion between “Blood/serum creatinine levels” & “creatinine” that one takes as a supplement while working out in the gym. These are two different things. In this blog, I am talking about –Blood Creatinine.

What does it means when you have high blood creatinine levels?

Creatinine is produced in the body constantly. It is a by-product of creatinine phosphate in the muscle. Its value depends on the muscle mass that one has. Creatinine is carried through the bloodstream to the kidneys. It is filtered out by the kidneys and thrown out of the body through urine. The kidneys maintain the creatinine levels in the blood to a normal range. A creatinine level is an indicator of kidney function. High creatinine levels is a warning for impaired kidney function.

High level of creatinine is found during:

  1. Impaired kidney function
  2. kidney disease like glomerulonephritis, pyelonephritis
  3. Prostate disease
  4. Kidney Stones (urinary tract blockage)
  5. Heart disease
  6. Diabetes
  7. Medicines like ACE inhibitor (ACEI) or angiotensin II receptor antagonist (or angiotensin receptor blocker, ARB) taken.

creatinine-blood-test-s1-illustration

Creatinine Blood Test should be done if following symptoms are seen:

  1. fatigue and trouble sleeping
  2. loss of appetite
  3. swelling in the face, wrists, ankles, or abdomen
  4. lower back pain near the kidneys
  5. changes in urine output and frequency
  6. high blood pressure
  7. nausea
  8. vomiting

Normal Values of the Creatinine in Blood:

In male – 0.6 to 1.1 milligrams per dl of blood.

In female – 0.5 to 1.1 milligrams per dl of blood.

Infant – 0.2 milligram per dl of blood or above (due to less muscle mass).

A person with one kidney – 1.8 to 1.9 milligram per dl of the blood.

Lifestyle & Dietary modifications for high creatinine:

  1. Reduce water/fluid intake: Fluid intake needs to be monitored. Do not restrict fluids unless there is a fluid overload problem. If fluid retention is a problem, limit salt intake.
  1. Limit salt intake (Sodium): You should control the amount of salt going through the food. Add minimum salt as required. High sodium will cause water retention. Cut down on salt, cheese, pickles, instant soups, roasted and salted seeds and nuts & all types of fast foods. Specifically, avoid canned foods.
  1. Limit Potassium: Low-salt substitutes are not good either, as they contain high levels of potassium. Restricted eating high potassium containing such as tomato, potato, nuts and chocolates etc.
  1. Limit Phosphorus: Excess phosphorus can cause total kidney failure as well as bone disease and heart ailments. Reduce dairy products including milk, curd, and cheese. Cut down intake of foods like Shellfish, nuts, soya bean foods etc.
  1. Control Calcium: It is another concern for kidney patients, causing serious bone disease in later years if not controlled.
  1. Low protein diet: Low protein diet is recommended to reduce creatinine level. This avoids build-up of excess urea.
  1. Cigarettes and Alcohol: kill you anyway and, also does not help in the case of high Creatinine either.
  1. With diet control, the portion size also matters. If you eat in excess, the nutritional value changes considerably.
  1. Be active & Exercise regularly: High-intensity exercise could lead to impressive results. It may also help lower your risk for high blood pressure and diabetes which are the two main causes that lead to developing CKD (Chronic Kidney Diseases).

 Fruits and vegetables that are advised/not advised in kidney diseases:

  • It is advisable to take peaches, broccoli, onion, grapes, cabbage, pepper, cherries, cauliflower, apples, celery, berries, cucumber, pineapple, eggs, plums, green beans, tangerine, lettuce, watermelon and pears.
  • Restrict the intake of oranges and orange juice, asparagus, avocado, kiwi fruit, raisins or other dried fruits, bananas, cooked spinach, potatoes, pumpkin, prunes, etc.
  • 1
  • 2
  • Next Page »

Search

Recent Posts

  • Simple Ways to Overcome Depression
  • 4 Essential Vitamins That You Should Consume This Winter
  • Tired All The Time? Start With These Superfoods
  • Does Exercising In Cold Weather Have Any Special Benefits?
  • Healthy Eating: Dates and Nuts Custard

Stay Updated

Archives

  • January 2021 (18)
  • December 2020 (27)
  • November 2020 (25)
  • October 2020 (27)
  • September 2020 (26)
  • August 2020 (26)
  • July 2020 (27)
  • June 2020 (27)
  • May 2020 (25)
  • April 2020 (26)
  • March 2020 (24)
  • February 2020 (22)
  • January 2020 (17)
  • December 2019 (21)
  • November 2019 (24)
  • October 2019 (25)
  • September 2019 (24)
  • August 2019 (18)
  • July 2019 (23)
  • June 2019 (22)
  • May 2019 (25)
  • April 2019 (24)
  • March 2019 (23)
  • February 2019 (21)
  • January 2019 (25)
  • December 2018 (17)
  • November 2018 (11)
  • October 2018 (12)
  • September 2018 (13)
  • August 2018 (23)
  • July 2018 (17)
  • June 2018 (23)
  • May 2018 (17)
  • April 2018 (28)
  • March 2018 (19)
  • February 2018 (14)
  • January 2018 (22)
  • December 2017 (16)
  • November 2017 (28)
  • October 2017 (22)
  • September 2017 (23)
  • August 2017 (10)
  • July 2017 (12)
  • June 2017 (13)
  • May 2017 (14)
  • April 2017 (9)
  • March 2017 (7)
  • February 2017 (7)
  • January 2017 (12)
  • December 2016 (10)
  • November 2016 (8)
  • October 2016 (9)
  • September 2016 (8)
  • August 2016 (13)
  • July 2016 (11)
  • June 2016 (10)
  • May 2016 (13)
  • April 2016 (18)
  • March 2016 (19)
  • February 2016 (8)
  • January 2016 (8)
  • December 2015 (6)
  • November 2015 (10)
  • October 2015 (8)
  • September 2015 (10)
  • August 2015 (14)
  • July 2015 (12)
  • June 2015 (15)
  • May 2015 (9)
  • April 2015 (13)
  • March 2015 (10)
  • February 2015 (6)
  • January 2015 (13)
  • December 2014 (14)
  • November 2014 (12)
  • October 2014 (6)
  • September 2014 (16)
  • August 2014 (14)
  • July 2014 (9)
  • June 2014 (3)
  • May 2014 (8)
  • April 2014 (5)
Mukul Bhartiya

Always Look At The Big Picture – Mukul Bhartiya User Journey

We often treat health as a one off objective but what happens once we achieve our goal? Do we fall back to our previous habits? While keeping health goals, it is important to always look at the big picture. While losing weight is a good target, being healthy … [Read More...]

Rishikesh Ayre

The Right Guidance With Gradual Change – Rishikesh Ayre User Journey

Do you want to make a positive lifestyle change but don’t know how? Does it take every ounce of motivation for you to move? Do you need a nudge in the right direction? These are all valid questions and you’re not alone. Sometimes, we want to begin something new but don’t know where to start. […]

Nalin Talwar

Nalin Talwar Goes From Couch Potato To Fitness Freak!

Can you make a positive lifestyle change in just 3 months? Is it even possible? After completing 3 months with GOQii, our player, Nalin Talwar decided that it’s a good time to share his experience. He did face some unfavourable experience with the hardware but for most of it, his overall experience has been good. […]

Nirmal Bhatt

“Don’t Ignore Your Health!” – Nirmal Bhatt Shares a Message For All Womenfolk

As a working woman, managing a professional life and a personal life can be quite challenging given the status quo that exists in our society. Sometimes, so much effort goes into looking after a household as well as crushing it in the professional field that one easily forgets to take care of themselves. Nirmal Bhatt, […]

  • HOME
  • HEALTHY LIVING
  • FITNESS
  • HEALTHY RECIPES
  • USER STORIES
  • KARMA
  • BUY GOQii

Copyright ©2016 GOQii